Heritage Malta is opening the Palace Armoury and State Rooms at the Grand Master’s Palace free of charge on Friday, a public holiday.

Visitors will also have the last opportunity to view the exhibition ‘Picasso and Mirò: The Flesh & the Spirit’ currently hosted in The State Rooms’ Dining Room and Throne Room. It will remain open till June 30.

The Grand Master’s Palace was one of the first buildings built by the Knights of St John in Valletta way back in the late 16th century. The Palace was improved upon, enlarged and embellished to reach its present structure by the mid-eighteenth century. It served as the headquarters of the Grand Master, the general commanding French troops, British Governors and Presidents of the Republic of Malta.

During the open day visitors can explore the Palace Armoury which is one of the world’s largest collections of arms and armour that is still housed in its original building. The collection includes suits of armour owned by Grand Masters Alof de Wignacourt and Jean de la Valette, arms and armour used by the Knights of St John and the Ottoman Empire during the Great Siege of 1565, a varied selection of firearms used for both military and sporting purposes and a selection of artillery pieces originally used for battle on the fortifications.

On the upper level of the Palace, visitors can visit the State Rooms, the late 18th century Baroque illusionistic ceiling paintings decorating the corridors, the portrait gallery of the various rulers of the Maltese islands spanning from the Order of St John till today and the only complete and intact set of the famous 18th century French Gobelins tapestries entitled, ‘Les Teintures des Indes’ in the world.

During the open day two guided tours will be held at 10.30am and 2pm.

The opening hours will be as follows:

Palace Armoury from 9am till 5pm, last admission at 4.30pm

Palace State Rooms from 9am till 4.30pm, last admission at 4pm

The exhibition ‘Picasso and Mirò’ from 9am till 4.30pm, last admission at 4pm.